Feds drop some charges against imprisoned reputed former crime underboss

Federal prosecutors have dropped extortion and labor rackets charges against Martin Taccetta, the imprisoned reputed former underboss of the Lucchese crime family’s New Jersey faction.
U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman moved to dismiss the pending counts against Taccetta “because further prosecution of these charges is not in the interests of the United States at this time,” [...]

Record $10m payout for victim of corrupt Mafia police officer

A FORMER postal worker who spent 19 years in jail after being framed for murder by a “Mafia cop” has won a near $10million payout.
Barry Gibbs, 61, was convicted of killing a prostitute in 1986 and sentenced to 20 years.
But the key evidence in the case was gathered by New York police detective Louis Eppolito, [...]

Man accused of masterminding overseas wire room for southern New Jersey mob operation makes first court appearance

A Buffalo, N.Y., man made his first appearance in a New Jersey courtroom this week following his arrest as part of the same investigation that led to charges against Galloway Township resident Nicodemo Scarfo Jr.
Brian Ronald Cohen, 61, appeared before Superior Court Judge Thomas V. Manahan in Morris County on Thursday following his extradition to [...]

Mob bust nets two W. Caldwell residents

WEST CALDWELL TWP. – Residents John G. Perna, 32, and Ralph M. Perna, 38, were indicted Friday, May 14, on various charges of extortion, aggravated assault and fraudulent loan applications in connection with an illegal international gambling ring according to state Attorney General Paula Dow.
Thirty-four alleged members of the New York-based Lucchese crime family were [...]

Son of mob boss charged in betting ring

TRENTON — The son of a former South Jersey-Philadelphia mob boss allegedly played a high-ranking role in an international betting ring, authorities said Friday.
Nicky Scarfo Jr., 44, of Ventnor, allegedly ran New Jersey operations for an enterprise that handled billions of dollars in wagers, said state Attorney General Paula Dow.
He is charged with racketeering, conspiracy [...]

N.J. authorities indict 34 in Lucchese crime family bust from ‘Operation Heat’

TRENTON – Thirty-four members and associates of the Lucchese crime family were indicted on charges of racketeering and other offenses, New Jersey authorities announced today.
The indictment is a continuation of Operation Heat, a year-long investigation that culminated in several arrests targeting a $2.2 billion underground gambling operation in 2007.
“The Lucchese crime family allegedly employed sophisticated [...]

Eppolito and Bravatti get off light

After five years of legal wrangling, “Mafia Cops” case minor players Anthony Eppolito and Guido Bravatti walked out of U.S. District Court Tuesday free men.
In September 2009, Eppolito and Bravatti were convicted by a jury of federal drug charges – distribution and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine – as part of a larger case that focused [...]

‘Goodfellas’ mobster is arrested in metro-east

The former mobster who inspired “Goodfellas” was arrested Sunday in Fairview Heights because he had “one too many” drinks in a hotel lobby, he said.
Henry P. Hill, 66, of Topanga, Calif., was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in the Drury Inn Hotel, 12 Ludwig Drive in Fairview Heights.
“I got a [...]

Reputed crime family underboss summoned to court in Newark

Martin Taccetta, a reputed former underboss of the Lucchese crime family’s New Jersey faction, has been summoned to a Newark courtroom next week to possibly resolve the charges pending against him in a mob case that has resulted in the convictions of 19 others.
U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler signed an order last week directing [...]

Mafia , Unions, and NYC Newspapers

Investigators in the city raided offices for some of the nation’s largest newspapers  as part of a corruption probe into a powerful union that has long faced accusations of ties to organized crime, a law enforcement official said.
Police officers working with the Manhattan district attorney’s office searched for paperwork related to the Newspaper and Mail [...]

Next Page »